Spending for the second baby

May 21, 2012 — nicoleandmaggie

A second bookcase for the oldest so we can move more of hir books from the library to hir room and the books from the floor to the bookcases and the library to our bedroom so our office can move to the library and the former office go back to being a nursery. We’ll go to the unfinished furniture store even though we have concerns about environmental stability… but their furniture isn’t pasteboard and it’s a 3rd of the cost of the Amish place… so our ethics can be bought if the price is low enough. $350 including finish and shipping. (Somehow I thought it would be less… apparently not).

A new pump since I went through two with DC. (They died every 9 months and at the 18 month mark I didn’t bother getting them to overnight me a replacement. I probably should have.) $260.

A new infant carseat since our children are too far apart in age to use the same one. And two bases for said carseat. $80 carseat, $30 each base, $140 total.

A dresser for DC2. This we get used at a local refurbished furniture store where the guy takes landfill pieces and brings them back to their former glory. (Sadly he does not do bookcases.) $550. (It is beautiful. We decided to give it to DH and DC2 gets DH’s old one.)

Cloth diapers. Both the kind for babies (we have medium and large, but not small) and the kind for cleaning up spit-up. The cleaning ones got a workout these past 5 years or so and are starting to shred. ~$200

Regular diapers. $Infinite amounts

Soothies, wipes, pads, etc. $Infinite amounts

Bottles. (Our previous Doc Browns got enough use that they really needed to be tossed. They were at the point where even people who don’t care about BPA think there could be seepage.) $20

And I think that’s it for the newborn stage. Everything else we can use from kid #1… and the in-laws have already told us about the adorable outfits that just called out, so we’ll have some gender-specific clothing on top of the gender neutral stuff. You know, in case we have to go to a wedding or something.

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42 Responses to “Spending for the second baby”

We bought almost nothing for #2. A toddler bed for #1 (though he wasn’t sleeping in the crib anymore), a few outfits, a Moby wrap, and some disposables. Otherwise, bottles, pump, clothes, diapers, crib, dresser, etc, all remained the same. (We use mostly glass Evenflo bottles, which we loved, so my plastic Medela ones never got overly used.) One of the positives of having two close together is that the infant car seat was still useable. We did also buy a (used) Phil and Ted’s double stroller, which was our biggest purchase; even used those suckers are $350. We tried not to buy too much stuff even for #1, and got most a lot of things as gifts or used. We got really into Craigslist for baby stuff, because it’s used for such a short period of time, and we now live in an affluent area where the stuff available for sale is high quality. (We got crib, dresser, bouncy seat, rocker, car seat, co-sleeper, and stroller all used. Big new items like Ergo and exersaucer were gifts.) But we still spent way less on #2.

I’m thinking we’re going to have to buy a new sling for DH. Note to self: Do not lend things you ever expect to get back to BIL, because no matter how much you say, “This is just a loan, it was really expensive, are you sure you want this responsibility, etc.” he’s going to A. not use it and B. not be able able to find it when you need it. So that’s another >$80 there… (We *bought* one for SIL, which she wanted and picked out but also didn’t use, and in retrospect we should have left it at that.)

We bought almost all our bookcases at estate sales or off of craigslist. My kid’s bookcases are 60’s style mid-century ones with little feet on them raising them off the floor. In hindsight, elevated bookcases were quite practical because I could actually put them right in front of our heating ducts which was always an issue with the other styles we had. It’s also easier to clean under them. They were $60/each. I didn’t spend much for #2. I did end up buying another breast pump because the first one went kaput. I use my cloth diapers as kitchen dish rags. They are the best and most absorbent things in the world. My 30 year old friend says his mom still has a few of them kicking around from when he was a kid.

Unfortunately for this bookcase we had space and time constraints (it has to be a certain size or the attic stairs can’t come down). Basically our choices were: buy a cheap pasteboard one at target or walmart, get (a short) one that matches the other (tall) one in hir room at the place we got our other bookcases (they were on sale when we got them… hence the sticker shock for us when they weren’t 6 years later), or special order one at the Amish place. Craigslist never has bookcases (or never has them for long) here and we don’t have time for estate sale shopping. We haven’t really had luck for bookcases this size at used furniture stores for the past 5 years or so.

They don’t make cloth diapers like they used to. :( (That’s even what the amazon reviews on the Gerber cloth diapers say, so not just that we’re especially hard on our cleaning rags.)

We spent less on baby #2, but did still spend. Specifically for her, we bought a swing (we didn’t have room for one the first time), a Moby, some new clothes (baby #2 was born in a different season than baby #1), and a few other things like that.

But, since we had to condense our guest room and office into one room to make a room for baby #2, I guess you could count the expense of the new desk, too….

We are in this situation now, trying to decide what to buy and what not to. Definitely need a new car seat. Our newborn car seat was used and the first child to use it is now finishing up kindergarten, so there you go. I need to pull out my pump to make sure that it still works (although the very thought of pumping again fills me with loathing, even though I know it’s totally worth it!). Crib and mattress are still good–child #1 is in a ‘real bed’ now. We’ve done a furniture shuffle, so the only new piece that I got was a glider–it will make 3 am feedings so much more comfortable! New baby’s room needs some light reno. For some unknown reason (maybe a former music room?), there are panels on the ceiling much like you would see in an office-so we’re taking those down in hopes that we don’t have to re-drywall the ceiling underneath it. There are glass doors on the closet-which one day will just be begging for a giant block or car to be thrown at it. Also there is this yellow stripey wall paper that’s not hideous, but it’s not entirely attractive, so we’ll remove the wallpaper and paint-with paint that we already have on hand.

We’re going to *try* to not let the spending get out of hand…but you know how that goes with best intentions and what not….Good luck to you guys!

We have a glider, but never ever used it. I’m not sure why, so it sits in the guest bedroom basically as a chair. We did have a fancy Amish chair that I used a lot even though it didn’t glide (it instead unfolds magically into a bed! One of those, sat in it at the store and had to have it, even though it meant saving up almost 1K to get it…), so maybe that’s why.

Hmmm. Were we blessed with another, we’d definitely be similarly situated on car seats (plus, have handed the infant ones down). OTOH our cloth diapers remain utterly useful (keep meaning to list them on ebay, though some are stained perhaps beyond salvaging for those who demand WHITE! DIAPERS! But they are 100% functional.) and I think I can reclaim the extensive collection of slings, etc., I have lent to a friend. We’d need a new stroller, walked that into the ground. I think the bassinet is in my mom’s attic. We’d need a new crib, but I bought the last from Craigslist for $60, I think (it did yeoman’s service until DC was — 3? — and I ditched it, figuring his acrobatics might have made it structurally unsafe for a LO. Plus it was drop-sided and we know the thinking on those has changed, so…

I’d need a “new” pump, I passed the old one along (but it was a hand-me-down in the first place), ditto bottles. And — assuming kid2 were similar to kid1 (ha!), a new mobile (peaceful shower time … bliss). Also new baby (etc.) bathing suits as DC slap wears those things out — but through hours of use, so it’s good. Ditto shoes (once required, obviously not for the baby stage).

DC has actually gotten use from some of the toys of his much (like 25 years) older (half)sibs: many books, etch-a-sketch (somewhat worn out), Lincoln logs.

I have a larger network of mom friends with #2. I borrowed a glider and was offered a double stroller, bassinet pack ‘n play, and fold up bassinet. Oh and clothes for either gender. I need to buy things that go with breastfeeding like breast shields ($20), new tubes ($15) for my Aveda pump, breast pads, etc. Otherwise, aside from the diaper service I think we’re good.

I think the real question is: will you fill out the second baby book. (I guess that assumes that you filled out a first baby book.) When my brother (older) first married, my Mom sent down a bunch of his baby stuff in a box for my sister in law, and I did the delivery. When she and I opened the box, my baby book was there along with his. His was totally filled out. Mine had my name and birthdate. It’s probably a good thing I’d already learned my place in the world, because we just laughed.

CPP – It’s a matter of personal taste, but IMO the gliders are significantly more comfortable than an old school rocker. I had my mother’s rocking chair for sentimental reasons, but always wished I had gotten a glider with a foot rest.

When you are first establishing breastfeeding it makes a big difference IMO. I had a grandma rocker the first time too and the motion did not help with the latching process. I’d go to the lactation specialists and the glider just helped me keep the baby in the right place. They are more comfy for sleeping in during those early months too. I’m glad I have one to borrow this time.

It probably depends on the rocker, but the nice Dutailier ones have really cushy padding on the seat and back and seemed to me to be more upright than the few antique rockers I’ve tried at other peoples’ houses. Which is better for me for nursing. We just scored a glider + ottoman on Craigslist for $75 that would easily have been $350+ new. They are godawfully ugly, though so we’ll get rid of it as soon as I’m sure we’re done :)

We spent next to nothing new on #2. We’re able to use a lot of her brother’s hand-me-downs – they’re 23 mos apart so same season obviously. She got a ton of pink frilly clothes as gifts. Good thing, I guess, because we were not about to buy that shizz though you’re right they have their place “in case of a wedding.”

We went with rental pumps because I had supply issues the first time. I was prescribed the Medela Symphony and it totally rocked. Turned out to be v. affordable. Low probability it might even be covered by insurance.

We find out what gender #2 is this week! If it’s a girl, then we have nothing else to buy except a changing table for $40 from a friend so we can put it temporarily in our bedroom. And some paint and prints from Etsy for the bedroom, and eventually a secondhand dresser (or a new IKEA dresser for #1 to match her big girl bed).

If it’s a boy we may need some more sleepers and stuff because I bought a bunch for #1 from someone who had a girl and was into pink and girly. I didn’t much care because I got 4 HUGE garbage bags of clothes for $100 and barely had to buy anything else, though a lot of it won’t be reusable for a boy.

My pump is going on 8 years old now so I’ll probably need to take it in and get it checked, but it worked great 3 years ago :)

We were fortunate that most of our stuff is gender neutral. We went with Graco Target green circus animals as the theme for most of our stuff. (As in, while I was freaking out about whether or not the baby would be born, my mom took my credit card to Target and bought things that matched the carseat we had already gotten.)

Yeah, everything I bought new (crib sheets, carseat, etc) I bought gender neutral, because I am so over pink. On the bright side, I have a friend with a 2 month old boy, who has already promised me all of his clothes when he’s done with them, which will work nicely timing-wise (Our #2 is due in Oct). So even though I love to shop, I won’t have much to do.

Also, I bought a Medela nursing footstool, which I like better than the glider ottoman for nursing. $10 from someone at work, basically replacing the one I sold when I thought we didn’t need it anymore ;)

Your list looks pretty close to our second baby list. We also had to buy a new bouncy seat (first colic baby wore it out), and a new changing pad (ripped to shreds by #1), and a new stroller (but we learned from the first time and just bought a cheap umbrella stroller instead of the monstrous travel system that we ultimately ended up despising).

Does he really find salvageable pieces in the land fill? Sounds intriguing.

Hm… I wonder if we’ll need a new changing pad. Right now our Great Room is serving as a way station between the attic and the final destination for things baby. Presumably a changing pad or two will be in there… (If not, we have the disposable pads we’ve been putting under DC’s fitted sheet.) And I would hope the one that came with the pack n play is still with it. DC hated the stroller (and the carseat and anything that required having limited movement other than a sling), so ours is practically brand new.

I’m not sure where exactly the furniture guy gets his furniture. He said he’s been running low on stock and it’s harder to find things.

The dresser is gorgeous. It makes me smile every time I enter our bedroom.

We spent (and continue to spend) almost nothing on our second kid. We have two boys, so they like all the same toys (though not at the same time), and #2 wears all of eldest’s old clothes.

That said, I’m a second child, so I’m very aware of the hand-me-down situation making a kid feel like s/he never gets anything of his/her own. So now that #2 is more verbal and is more aware of mine/yours, I would guess that we’ll buy him his own things more often. But some things, like clothes, seem acceptable to hand down. Especially the things that weren’t used often because of a growth spurt or something — those things are heaven to me.

I got divorced between kid #1 and kid #2. Part of the divorce process was getting rid of all the excess stuff I no longer needed because I was moving, especially baby stuff. (Who thinks about having another kid during a divorce?) When kid #2 came along, I had to start over so it was rather expensive…although I bought pretty much everything on sale. :-)

#1 and #2 were both boys, so we bought very little clothes for #2, and re-used crib, high chair, car seats, changing table, diaper bag stuff, breast pump, etc. #3 is a girl and we’re mostly re-using all the same stuff and I get old women saying “oh, you’ll have your hands full with three boys!” She does have some pink stuff — mostly presents. But she doesn’t go out that much, and we know she’s a girl, so…

This one always makes me laugh. While we spent almost nothing on baby items for baby #2 as our kids are the same gender and 22 months apart, baby #2 did cause us to moved out of our 2 bedroom condo (which we likely would have done anyway but could have waited longer) and required a larger car. So in the grand scheme of things, baby #2 was way more expensive. But totally worth it.